It is common for connection failure to occur due to vibration when a pair of electrical connectors is placed in a half-mated state, for example, in locations where a hand cannot be inserted to mate the electrical connectors or in locations where the mating position of the electrical connectors cannot be visually checked. This problem is particularly prominent in automobile applications where a hand can not typically be inserted to mate the pair of electrical connectors because of strict space limitations.
In order to solve this problem, a connector device has been proposed which allows a blind connection to be performed between a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector in which axes of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are aligned simply by pushing in the first electrical connector. FIGS. 38-47C (see JP-A-2002-246106) show an example of such a connector device 101 according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 38, the connector device 101 comprises a first electrical connector 102 having a first structural body (not shown) such as a circuit board and a second electrical connector 105 having a connector member 104 and a receptacle member 103. The second electrical connector 105 is electrically connected to the first structural body (not shown).
The first electrical connector 102 has a substantially rectangular flattened shape. As shown in FIG. 39, the first electrical connector 102 has an opening 102a at a front end (left end in FIG. 38) thereof. As shown in FIG. 38, lock release members 102b are provided on upper and lower surfaces of the first electrical connector 102 at the front end thereof. A pair of lock release ribs is provided on side surfaces of the first electrical connector 102. Each of the lock release ribs 102d is constructed from a pair of upper and lower ribs 102e that extend from a rear end of the first electrical connector 102 toward a center thereof. A projection 102f that protrudes outward in a semi-circular shape links front end portions of the upper and lower ribs 102e. Engaging windows 102g corresponding to the projections 102f of the lock release ribs 102d are formed in the side surfaces of the first electrical connector 102 and open into the opening 102a. First structural body attachment members 102h are provided on corners at the rear end of the first electrical connector 102.
The second electrical connector 105 comprises the receptacle member 103 and the connector member 104. The connector member 104 is accommodated in the receptacle member 103 and mates with the first electrical connector 102. The connector member 104 includes a substantially rectangular mating member 104a that is received in the opening 102a of the first electrical connector 102. A flange 104b is provided on a rear end (right end in FIG. 39) of the mating member 104a. Projections 104f protrude from side surfaces of the flange 104b. Cutouts 104c are formed in upper and lower central portions of the flange 104b and are configured for receiving the lock release members 102b of the first electrical connector 102. Locking members 104d that pass between the lock release members 102b protrude from upper and lower surfaces of the connector member 104 in a vicinity of the cutouts 104c. Locking arms 104e are provided on side surfaces of the mating member 104a and are configured to engage with the engaging windows 102g of the first electrical connector 102 thereby locking the first electrical connector 102 and the connector member 104.
The receptacle member 103 has a substantially rectangular shape. The receptacle member 103 is connected to a second structural body (not shown). A through-hole 103a for receiving the connector member 104 extends through the receptacle member 103. Elastic locking ribs 103b are formed in a center of upper and lower surfaces of the receptacle member 103. As shown in FIGS. 40 and 46A-47D, locking claws 103c protrude inward from rear ends of the elastic locking ribs 103b. As shown in FIGS. 39 and 47A-47C, projections 103d used as lock release members are provided on inner surfaces of side walls of the receptacle member 103. Attachment members 103e for the second structural body (not shown) are provided on lower end portions of the side walls. Cutouts 103f with which the projections 104f of the connector member 104 are locked are formed on rear surfaces of the side walls.
As shown in FIGS. 39-40, when the connector member 104 is inserted into the through-hole 103a from a rear end of the receptacle member 103, the locking members 104d of the connector member 104 press-open the elastic locking ribs 103b of the receptacle member 103, so that tip ends of the locking members 104d are engaged by the locking claws 103c, and the projections 104f of the connector member 104 engage with the cutouts 103f of the receptacle member 103. As a result, the connector member 104 is accommodated and held inside the through-hole 103a in the receptacle member 103, thus forming the second electrical connector 105.
The method of mating the first and second electrical connectors 102, 105 will now be described. As shown in FIGS. 39-40, when the first electrical connector 102 moves in a direction of arrow A, the front end of the first electrical connector 102 is inserted into the through-hole 103a of the receptacle member 103 of the second electrical connector 105. The locking members 104e of the connector member 104 are inserted into the opening 102a in the first electrical connector 102, as the first electrical connector 102 slides inside the through-hole 103a. FIGS. 41-42 show the first electrical connector 102 in a pre-mated state. As shown in FIG. 46B, in the pre-mated state, the lock release members 102b of the first electrical connector 102 have just made contact with the locking claws 103c of the receptacle member 103, the locking members 104d of the connector member 104 are still locked in by the locking claws 103c of the receptacle member 103 as shown in FIG. 46A, and the connector member 104 is still accommodated and held inside the through-hole 103a in the receptacle member 103. Moreover, in the pre-mated state, the projections 102f of the lock release ribs 102d of the first electrical connector 102 are pressed inward by the projections 103d of the receptacle member 103, as shown in FIG. 47A. As a result, the locking members 104e of the connector member 104 are displaced inward, so that the locking members 104e are not completely engaged with the engaging windows 102g. Accordingly, the first electrical connector 102 and the connector member 104 are not locked together.
When the first electrical connector 102 moves further in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIGS. 39-40 from the pre-mated state by the gap g in FIG. 47B, the first electrical connector 102 and connector member 104 are placed in a state immediately prior to a completed mating position, as shown in FIGS. 43-44. In this position immediately prior to the completed mating position, the lock release members 102b of the first electrical connector 102 press the elastic locking ribs 103b of the receptacle member 103 outward, so that the engagement of the locking members 104d of the connector member 104 by the locking claws 103c of the receptacle member 103 is released, as shown in FIG. 46C-46D. In this position immediately prior to the completed mating position, the projections 102f of the lock release ribs 102d of the first electrical connector 102 are still pressed inward by the projections 103d of the receptacle member 103, as shown in FIG. 47B, which causes the locking members 104e of the connector member 104 to be displaced inward, so that the locking members 104e are not completely engaged with the engaging windows 102g. Consequently, the first electrical connector 102 and connector member 104 are not locked together.
When the first electrical connector 102 moves further in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIGS. 39-40, the pressed state of the projections 102f of the lock release ribs 102d by the projections 103d of the receptacle member 103 is released, as shown in FIG. 47C, so that the locking members 104e of the connector member 104 are completely engaged with the engaging windows 102g. As a result, the first electrical connector 102 and connector member 104 are locked together, thus completing the mating between the first and second electrical connectors 102, 105. Moreover, the front end of the first electrical connector 102 presses the flange 104b of the connector member 104, as shown in FIG. 45. As shown in FIG. 45, because the connector member 104 is away from the inner wall surfaces of the receptacle member 103, it is possible to prevent the transmission of vibration on the side of the second structural body (not shown) attached to the receptacle member 103 to the connector member 104. Thus, the generation of vibration stress or abnormal noise caused by the vibration is prevented.
Several problems, however, have been encountered with the second electrical connector 105. Specifically, before the first electrical connector 102 and the connector member 104, the lock release members 102b of the first electrical connector 102 press the locking claws 103c of the connector member 104 outward, as shown in FIG. 46D, and the locking of the locking members 104d of the connector member 104 by the locking claws 103c of the receptacle member 103 is released, as shown in FIG. 46C, so that the movement of the connector member 104 becomes possible. Accordingly, there are cases in which the first electrical connector 102 does not completely mate with the connector member 104, creating a so-called half-mated state.
Furthermore, As shown in FIGS. 39-40, when the first electrical connector 102 moves in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIGS. 39-40 from the state in which the second electrical connector 105 and the first electrical connector 102 are not connected, the front end of the first electrical connector 102 is inserted into the through-hole 103a in the receptacle member 103 of the electrical connector 105. However, because the receptacle member 103 does not possess any structure for guiding the first electrical connector 102, the first electrical connector 102 and the connector member 104 may collide due to a lack of alignment of the axes. Thus, mating cannot be accomplished in one operation.
Moreover, when the first electrical connector 102 is erroneously inserted into the through-hole 103a in the receptacle member 103, for example, when the first electrical connector 102 is inserted upside down, the first electrical connector 102 is still capable of sliding into the through-hole 103a in the receptacle member 103. Thus, the first electrical connector 102 can easily be erroneously attached to the connector member 104.